The invention relates to switching apparatus for an appliance control circuit and, more particularly, to switching apparatus for use with appliances having electronic control circuits.
As the cost of microcomputers continues to decrease, it becomes desirable to provide features for home appliances which were not heretofore economically feasible. Such features include those directed to operating convenience and increased utility as well as features which provide for safer operation of the appliance. A control circuit for an appliance of this type incorporating a microcomputer is described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 687,843 filed 12/31/84 by Thomas O'Loughlin, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,038, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In order to provide such features, it is necessary to also provide a method by which the user can conveniently implement the features. Electronic control circuits such as disclosed in the aforementioned patent can advantageously employ switching apparatus including an on-off switch and a commutator switch for producing a series of pulses when the selected temperature of the appliance is varied. However, such switching apparatus must be convenient for the user to operate, must be highly reliable and must be economical to manufacture. It is desirable, therefore, to provide switching apparatus for an appliance control circuit which exhibits these characteristics.